


Goddammit Revan: Live Free, Die Kashyyyk

by viveriveniversumvivusvici55



Series: Goddammit Revan [6]
Category: Star Wars Legends: Knights of the Old Republic (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, The fight for Rwookrrorro, a little hypocritical there Revan, aka 'why the fuck would you side with a slaver', no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-27 07:10:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20756390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/viveriveniversumvivusvici55/pseuds/viveriveniversumvivusvici55
Summary: Ari is, quite frankly, terrible at diplomacy. Zaalbar thinks they might just get him killed, life debt or not.





	Goddammit Revan: Live Free, Die Kashyyyk

**Author's Note:**

> I…definitely took some liberties with this scene. I loved this section of the game – Kashyyyk is, I think, my favourite place to visit – and I loved the questline. It had such a personal note to it. But there were a couple of little touches I added.
> 
> As always, Ari is the name that I gave my character in-game. Revan here is gender-neutral to allow you to put in whichever Revan you played. The only defining trait here is that Revan is Light-Side leaning.

The moment that Carth had come back to the hut, saying that Ari had found another Jedi who had agreed to help them, Zaalbaar knew that this was not going to go well. It wasn’t that things actually went to plan working with this human – Zaalbaar knows better than that – but when things deviate this severely from expectations, he knows he has to be prepared. So he just nodded to Carth, who took up a spot near the Czerka men rather than retreat back to the Ebon Hawk, and they both tried not to wilt too strongly under the stares levelled that them.

The moment Ari sets foot in Chuundar’s hut with two Jedi and _Zaalbaar’s father_ in tow, Zaalbaar knows that things are either about to go very, very wrong or very, very right. Freyyr is so much older than he remembers – the thought of the last time they’d spoken and the bitter words they’d traded hurts – but there is still strength in the old Wookie. Especially with Bacca’s Ceremonial Blade in hand, ready to challenge his son for the throne.

It does not escape Zaalbaar’s notice that the blade is, for the moment, mounted onto a lightsaber hilt. Something about it makes him feel warm inside.

Chuundar snarls, “Oh, that’s great! Everyone is here now! It’s a reunion!”

Freyyr responds firmly. “Yes, son. By the blade of Bacca’s sword, I’ve come to end your treachery! No more will you sell your own people.”

“You have Bacca’s blade? So what! I have the hilt, held by each true chieftain in recent memory! Even you claimed it was all important! We both have our ancient trinkets, so who will the people follow? You? You are old and weak!”

Zaalbaar can’t take it any more. “Shut up! Both of you! This ends today! I…” he gathers himself for a moment. “I will not see Rwookrrorro suffer any more!”

Ari grins. “You tell them, Zaalbaar!”

Uncertainty hits him. He sighs, turning to look at the human. “I…I don’t know what to do, Ari. Chuundar has been telling me things…he makes sense…I think. I don’t know.”

For a painful moment, Ari considers. The silence is heavy, and every body in the room is on edge. The fate of the village is in this human’s hands, and Zaalbaar hopes with every ounce of his heart that Ari makes the right choice. Finally, they look at him.

“Without honour, power is meaningless,” Ari replies. “How can you live with yourself otherwise?”

Jolee coughs in the background. Ari eyes him but says nothing, looking back at Zaalbaar. “I say side with your father." 

Zaalbaar implores, “Is it the best course?”

Ari stares. “Without a doubt! Chuundar is a slaver! You left your home because of that – why would you let it stand?”

With those words ringing in his ears, Chuundar’s mad logic fades and Zaalbaar feels his hackles rise. “Then there is no other way. Chuundar! You have betrayed our people! You must pay!”

Freyyr cheers. “That’s my boy!”

Chuundar snarls in rage. “You're too weak to fight, old wook, and I still have Czerka support! We'll see who dies today!”

Carth pulls out his blaster, while Juhani grabs her lightsabers. The Czerka men pull their guns, the Wookies in the room lift their Rykk blades and bowcasters, and Zaalbaar feels his heart sink in his chest.

_We wanted to find the Star Map. Not **murder half of my village.**_

Ari’s lightsabers flash into life and a vicious smile slides across their face. “Alright. Who’s first?”

A Czerka goon shoots at their face, and Ari promptly deflects the laser back at him. “Okay. You then.” And they charge.

It is, to put it mildly, a bloodbath. Zaalbaar knows Ari is ruthless in a fight, but it is still something else to see it in action and _especially_ against his own people. Even if those people had been the ones to cast him out, it is still hard to see them fall. Especially his brother, who puts up with quite a few shots. Ari takes a flying leap at him, arms crossed in front of them, lightsabers in hand, and straightens their arms to slice his throat. He actually has to turn away at that, torn between relief and sorrow.

Ari touches his arm after it is done, even before they turn to Freyyr. “Hey. I’m sorry.”

They truly are remorseful, which almost makes it worse. He sighs and mutters a soft, “Dammit. Trouble always follows us.”

They reach up to squeeze his shoulder, careful to avoid any new wounds, and Zaalbaar feels a wave of warm sweep over him as Ari Heals everyone around them. “So it does. I am sorry it came to this, Z.”

“Are you?”

They shrug. “Yes, but I will be less so if this actually frees Kashyyyk from Czerka.”

That does soften the blow a little. “And where did you find Bacca’s blade?” Zaalbaar can’t help but ask. “We looked everywhere for it.”

“It was in a creature’s back – the one connected to ritual hunting. I pulled it out.”

It is clearly a sign of how much time he has spent around this human that not only is he not surprised, but he can picture Ari doing exactly that. He can see in his mind’s eye this insane Jedi climbing on top of the terentatek’s dead body, grabbing the sword blade with both hands, and pulling it out with every ounce of strength they have. He chuffs out a laugh, shaking his head at the ridiculousness.

“Don’t go mentioning that to anyone else. You have meddled with enough tradition. That might just make things worse.”

Ari jokingly pouts. “Aw, but that’s what I’m best at!” 

Freyyr looks concerned and Zaalbaar murmurs, “They don’t mean it, father.”

Ari’s expression grows serious and they nod, crossing their arms behind their back. “Your son speaks true. I meddle without meaning to sometimes, and I meddle when I find things oppressive and foolish, but this is something I know not to. This is your culture and your way of life. That is not something I would ruin.”

Freyyr considers that and nods. “Thank you, human. You are a rare breed.”

Ari bows slightly. “I do my best.”

Carth laughs in the corner. “This is the one you have sworn a lifedebt to. I sure hope you knew what you were doing, Zaalbaar.”

Ari at this point checks their pockets for things that they inevitably pulled off of corpses in the Shadowlands and tucks their lightsabers into their belt. “I have a couple of things I want to do before we go, but then let’s see if we can find some more trouble. What do you say, Z?”

For all of his complaining, he can’t help a smile. “I can’t wait.”


End file.
